I heard a legal person on the news this morning talking about this perception that with the law change the child can be forced to testify. He said that's not right. Two things judges use to force people to testify is putting them in jail or fining them, neither of which he/she would or could do to a child.
The change in the law basically does away with the hearsay rule. The child's statement could be introduced into evidence at the trial without the child actually testifying.